Usually, mothers are more concerned about the care of the baby’s face, eyes and teeth, but relatively easy to ignore the care of the ears. However, the health of the ears directly affects the baby’s hearing, and hearing and speaking are not separate, so we still hope that mothers will pay attention to it. Otitis media is one of the most prevalent treatable diseases in children, with a high incidence in babies between the ages of 6 months and 3 years, and the American Academy of Pediatrics says that “about 2/3 of babies have had at least one infection by age 2.” That’s a statistic that if it didn’t come from the American Academy of Pediatrics, I wouldn’t believe that the probability of otitis media in babies under the age of 3 is so high. So, what are the common symptoms of otitis media? 1. A baby who can’t talk yet may pull his ear a lot, which may mean that he is telling his mother that something is wrong with his ear. 2. Because the sucking action of breastfeeding puts pressure on the middle ear, a baby with otitis media is more likely to cry while breastfeeding, which is also a sign that something is wrong with his ear. 3. Inflamed ears may bleed yellow blood or pus. 4. Not very good and does not follow sounds very well. When you find that your baby has one of these symptoms and you are worried, I recommend that you take your baby to see an ear, nose and throat doctor to get a diagnosis. In fact, the vast majority of otitis media can be prevented by avoiding the following bad habits: 1. Don’t pinch the baby’s nose on both sides to blow the nose When a baby has a cold, there is more snot, and some mothers like to pinch the baby’s nose on both sides and then let the baby forcefully blow the nose out. In fact, this method of blowing the nose not only can not completely blow out the snot, but may induce otitis media. This is because snot contains a lot of viruses and bacteria, and if both nostrils are pinched and blown hard, there will be a pressure difference between the nasal cavity and the eustachian tube, and under this pressure difference, the snot that was originally in the nasal cavity will flow backwards into the eustachian tube and enter the tympanic chamber, causing otitis media. The correct method: press one nostril and blow the snot out of the other nostril with a little force; then blow the other side. 2. Don’t let your baby inhale second-hand smoke Frankly, the danger of second-hand smoke is not only the problem of otitis media, but babies who often inhale second-hand smoke are also prone to respiratory infections and diseases such as asthma and pneumonia, and are more prone to tooth decay, and may even affect their intellectual development. So for the health of your baby, please do not smoke or quit smoking as soon as possible. At the same time, there is second-hand smoke places, also try not to take the baby to. 3, don’t let the baby hold the bottle to sleep many babies have the habit of holding the bottle to sleep, and this habit is very easy to induce otitis media. When people sit or stand to eat and drink milk, the eustachian tube is located above the pharynx, and food or liquid is unlikely to enter the eustachian tube. However, when a person is lying down, the Eustachian tube is almost on the same level as the pharynx. When breastfeeding, the valve of the Eustachian tube is just open, so it is easier for milk to enter the Eustachian tube and flow into the tympanic chamber, causing otitis media. So try not to let your baby sleep with the bottle in his mouth. If you’re breastfeeding, it’s best to sit down and feed your baby, and try not to lie down. 4. Don’t pull your baby’s ears out by yourself Generally speaking, earwax will fall off by itself with chewing, opening your mouth or yawning, so most people don’t need to pull out earwax for the rest of their lives. If you pull out your baby’s ears on your own, the tools used to do so, such as cotton swabs and ear scoops, may damage the natural barrier of the ears, leading to perforation of the eardrum and pus flowing from the ears, allowing bacteria and viruses to enter and cause otitis media. If your baby’s ears are clogged with earwax and he or she is uncomfortable, it is best to take him or her to a professional otolaryngologist for treatment.